Trobriand, Regis de. Four Years with the Army of the Potomac. Translated by George K. Dauchy. : Ticknor and Company, 1889.

CHAPTER I. THE CAUSE OF THE WAR. The question of slavery- — The Missouri Compromise — First attempt at secession by South Carolina — Abolition of slavery- in the English colonies — Its effect in the — First Abolition candidate for the Presidency- — Annexation of Texas — War with Mexico — Increased agitation — Wilmot Proviso — Van Buren, the anti-slavery candidate — Disorganization of the Whig party- — Compromise of 1850 — Fugitive Slave Law — Kansas- Nebraska bill — Civil war in Kansas — Birth of the Republican party — Election of Buchanan — Affair of Harper's Terry — The irrepressible conflict 1 CHAPTER II THE MANNER OF SECESSION. Electoral campaign of i860 — Direct menaces of secession — Violent scenes in Congress — Charleston convention — Baltimore convention — Chicago convention — Second Baltimore convention — Election of Lincoln to the Presidency- — The Southern States take up arms — Passive complicity- of Buchanan — Treason in the Cabinet — Secession of South Carolina — Last attempts at compromise — Secession of Mississippi — Of Florida — Of Alabama — Of Louisiana — Of Georgia — The first shot — Organization of the Southern Confederacy- — Inauguration of President Lincoln 31 CHAPTER III. THE CALL TO ARMS. Capitulation of Fort Sumter — Call for seventy-five thousand men — Four States refuse to furnish their quota — First regiment en route for Washington — Bloody riot in Baltimore — No news — Secession of — New call for eighty-three thousand volunteers — Secession of Arkansas — Occupation of Alexandria by the Federals — Men, but no army — School of the battalion — First successes in Western Virginia — General G. B. McClellan — Battle of Bull Run S3 CHAPTER IV. FROM NEW YORK TO WASHINGTON. The Guard Lafayette, Fifty-fifth New York militia — Camp at Staten Island — Departure for Washington — Collision — At Philadelphia —Through Baltimore — Arrival at the capital — Five hundred thousand men and five hundred million dollars — Tents — Organization of regiments of infantry — Composition of the Fifty-fifth — The insignia of rank, and the uniforms in the American army ... 70 CHAPTER V. THE FORMATION OF THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC. The brigade of General Peck — Surroundings at Washington — Regiments of cavalry — Batteries of artillery — Grand review — The Orleans princes — Lincoln and McClellan — Summer storm — General Buell — Inspections — The defences to the south of the Potomac — Arlington, and the Lee family — General Wadsworth at Upton Hill — Blenker's division — Movements of the enemy upon the upper Potomac , . . . 84 CHAPTER VI. WINTER QUARTERS. Settled down at Tenallytown — Moonlight — Pay-day — A case of delirium tremens — Court- martial — General Keyes — Unfortunate affair of Ball's Bluff — Arrangements for winter — Officers' mess — Flag presentation — President Lincoln at the table of the Fifty--fifth — Effects of the war around Washington 109

1

CHAPTER VII. MEN AND THINGS AT WASHINGTON. Congress — The population of Washington — The lobby and the spectators — The contractors for the army — The faint-hearted — The general-in-chief — General Seth Williams — The Count de Paris — The Duke de Chartres — The diplomatic corps. — Its partiality for the South — Why? — Receptions at the White House — Mr. Stanton — Mr. Seward — President Lincoln 133 CHAPTER VIII. COMMENCEMENT OF THE CAMPAIGN. Opening of the campaign of 1862 — Disagreements at Washington — Adoption of McClellan's plan — Military- excursion in Virginia — Organization of army corps — Embarking for Fortress Monroe — Fight of the Monitor and the Merrimac — Disembarking at Hampton — The surrounding country — Newport News — March upon Yorktown — The beseeching Virginians 152 CHAPTER IX. APPRENTICESHIP OF THE WAR. — Attack on Lee's mill — The Harwood farm — Amongst the sharpshooters — The man hunt — Visit of the general-in-chief — Faults of administration — A black snake mayonnaise — Marching-out of the Confederate troops — The enemy abandons his positions — Evacuation of Yorktown 174 CHAPTER X. THE FIRST BATTLE — WILLIAMSBURG. Pursuit — The enemy attacked at Williamsburg — He attacks Hooker's division — Peck's brigade the first to receive it — The Fifty-fifth under fire — Critical moment — Attack repulsed — Reinforcements arrive — Engagement of General Hancock — General McClellan's report — Advice of General Couch — A walk on the field of battle — Burial of the dead — Visit to the wounded — The amputated — The prediction of a Georgia 190 CHAPTER XI. DAYS OF SUFFERING. Forward march — Engagement at West Point — Subject for discontent — Dinner at Headquarters — Fight of a new kind — The bull and the Newfoundland dog — The death of Bianco — Virginia plantations — Marsh fever — The Turner house — Delirium — Manna in the desert — Anxieties — Battle of Fair Oaks — First days of convalescence — Departure for the North 213 CHAPTER XII. THE SANITARY COMMISSION. The victims of the Chickahominy — The army railroad — Peregrinations of a friend in search of me — Hospital tents — Agreeable surprise — Origin of the Sanitary Commission — Difficulties thrown in the way — Services rendered — The commission transports — Herculean labors — Strifes — The loads of sick humanity — Horrible realities — The miracles of charity 235 CHAPTER XIII. THE SEVEN DAYS' BATTLE. Contrasts — New York — The Newport steamer — Boston — Success of Stonewall Jackson — Stuart's raid — Return to Fortress Monroe — Interview with General Dix — Evacuation of West Point — Arrival at Harrison's Landing — The work of McClellan — A characteristic despatch — Battle of Mechanicsville — of Gaines' Mill — of Savage Station — of White Oak Swamp — of Glendale — of Malvern Hill — The port of refuge 261 CHAPTER XIV. FROM CHARYBDIS TO SCYLLA. Miserable condition of the army — Desertions — Military bravado and political manifesto of McClellan — Reconnoissances — Order to evacuate the Peninsula — Delay after delay — Pope on the Rappahannock — ■ Delay at Alexandria — Night march — Fairfax Court House — Death of Kearny — Retreat on Washington — Pope and McClellan 283

2

CHAPTER XV. BETTER TIMES. Invasion of Maryland by the Confederates — Passage of the Fifty,--fifth through Tenallytown — Advance posts on the Monocacy — Transfer to the Third Corps — Appearance of Washington — A legacy from Kearny — General Birney — How Harper's Ferry surrendered to the enemy — Battles on South Mountain — Condition of the two armies — Battle of Antietam — Attacks in detail — Incomplete Result — McClellan's hesitations — Lee returns to Virginia . . . 308 CHAPTER XVI. INTERLUDE. General Berry — Volunteer recruiting — Antipathy of the people to the conscription — New regiments — Three hundred thousand men raised for nine months — The Fifty-fifth reorganized in seven companies — Raid of General Stuart into Maryland — The Third Corps at Edwards Ferry — General Stoneman — Colonel Duffie — General McClellan's inaction — Correspondence with the President — The army returns to Virginia — The different classes of farmers — Forward march — General McClellan relieved of his command 328 CHAPTER XVII. FREDERICKSBURG. Ambrose Bumside, general commanding — Organization of grand divisions — Mrs. L.'s honey — State elections — General Bumside's plan — The delay -of the pontoons — Effect of snow — Passage of the Rappahannock — Doctor C.'s nerves — Battle of Fredericksburg — Attack of the enemy's positions on the left — Tragical episode — Whose fault was it ? — Disasters on the right — General Bumside's obstinacy — Dead and wounded — Return to our camp . . . 351 CHAPTER XVIII. EMANCIPATION. Military- balance-sheet for the year 1S62 — The emancipation question — The inaugural address of Mr. Lincoln — Reserve of the President and of Congress — General Fremont — Abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia — Proposition for gradual emancipation — General Hunter — Confiscation act — Progress of emancipation — Letter of Mr. Lincoln — Religious deputation — Last scruples — Preparatory dispositions — Definite proclamation of emancipation . . 3S0 CHAPTER XIX. LAST EFFORTS OF BURNSIDE. The Fifty-fifth New York consolidated with the Thirty--eighth — New Year's day in camp — Abuse of strong liquor in the army — New projects of General Bumside — Plan of a cavalry expedition by General Averill — Intervention of the President — Bumside at Washington — General Newton and General Cochrane — Complications — The army in motion — A gloomy night — The army buried in the mud — Return to camp — General order No. 8 — How General Burnside came to be relieved of the command of the army 397 CHAPTER XX. HOOKER COMMAXDIXG THE ARMY. General Hooker's character — Improvements in the army — How promotions were made — Intrigues and rivalries — Political preferences — Brigadier-generals' report — Special marks to designate the different army corps — Poverty of Virginia country people — A pastor with- out a flock — Marriage under a tent — Camp fetes — Preparations for moving — Combined march on Chancellorsville — Brilliant commencement of a brilliant conception 413 CHAPTER XXI. CHANCELLORSVILLE. First encounter with the enemy — Capital fault — Defensive position of the army — Advance position of the Third Corps — Engagement of Birney's division — Jackson's attack on the right — Rout of the Eleventh Corps — Counter charge of Berry's division — Death of Keenan — Artillery saved by General Pleasonton — Night encounter — Episodes — Death of Stonewall Jackson — Renewal of the battle — Accident to General Hooker — Remarks on the position —

3

Bayonet charge — Movement backward — Sedgwick carries Fredericksburg Heights — Combat at Salem — The Sixth Corps at Banks Ford — General retreat 435 CHAPTER XXII. INVASION OF PENNSYLVANIA. Position of Hooker after Chancellorsville — The President's letter — Lee's army in motion — March on Manassas and Centreville — Guerrillas — Cavalry engagements — Entrance into Maryland — Welcome by the people — The enemy in Pennsylvania — Hooker relieved of his command — Meade appointed general commanding — Convent of St. Joseph at Emmittsburg — Bloody contest near Gettysburg — Death of General Reynolds — Report of General Hancock — Concentration of the two armies 471 CHAPTER XXIII. GETTYSBURG. Position of the two armies — Dangerous advance of the Third Corps — First attack on the extreme left — The fight of the Third Brigade — Double assault on the summit of Little Round Top — Caldwell's division in line — The enemy driven back — Graham in the peach orchard — General Humphreys — The left line driven in from one end to the other — Offensive return — The position recovered — Ewell's attack on the extreme right — Night spent in position — Renewal of the battle at Gulp Hill — Interval — The scene of the action — Everything staked on one blow by the rebels — Account taken — Trophies of the Second Corps 492 CHAPTER XXIV. THE PURSUIT. The field of battle by moonlight — The wounded and the dead — Pursuit of the enemy — French's division added to the Third Corps — Political intrusions — Difficult position of General Meade — Council of War_ General disappointment — The war carried again into Virginia — Battle of Manassas Gap — Lost opportunity — General French — Once more on the Rappahannock 512 CHAPTER XXV. OPERATIONS DURING THE LATTER PART OF 1863. White Sulphur Springs — The Vallandigham affair — Plots of the Copperheads — Bloody riots in New York — Attitude of Governor Horatio Seymour — Western regiments sent to enforce the law — Reinforcements hurried to Tennessee — Advance on Culpeper — The Sharpshooters — Movement to the rear — The engagement at Auburn — Battle of Bristoe Station — Remarks — Visit of General Sickles— Battle at Rappahannock Station — Engagement at Kelly's Ford — March in line of battle — Mr. John Minor Botts between two racks — Mine Run affair— Death labels — Raid on Richmond 532 CHAPTER XXVI. ULYSSES S. GRANT, LIEUTENANT-GENERAL. Condition of the rebellion at the beginning of 1864 — General Grant in the West — The capture of Vicksburg — Capitulation of Port Hudson — Victory of Missionary Ridge — Grant appointed lieutenant- general— His portrait — His stay at Washington — Reorganization of the Army of the Potomac — Official statement of the land forces of the United States— How I came to be appointed to the command of the garrison and defences of New York 557 CHAPTER XXVII. BATTLE AFTER BATTLE. Battle of the Wilderness — Volleys d outrance in the thickets —The diverse fortunes — Death of General Wadsworth — Fight in the midst of the flames— Result — Battle of Spotsylvania — Death of General Sedgwick — Attack on the intrenchments — Success of the Second Corps — Twenty hours of conflict — Night movements — Continued battles — Engagement on the North Anna — Cavalry expedition — Sheridan under the walls of Richmond — Death of General Stuart — Battle of Cold Harbor — Account rendered of one month of campaign 570

4

CHAPTER XXVIII. IN FRONT OF PETERSBURG. Passage of the James — First attack on Petersburg — My return to the army — City Point — General Ingalls — A night at headquarters — General Hancock — Losses of my brigade during two months' campaign — Losses of the Second Corps — Fortnight of extra duty — The colored troops — Early's expedition against Washington — Between the cup and the lip there is room for a hanging — First Deep Bottom expedition — Hurried return 589 CHAPTER XXIX. THE MINE. Universality of Yankee genius — The mine dug by Colonel Pleasants — Project of assault — General Burnside's plan — Unfortunate modifications — Lots drawn — Last preparations — The match goes out — The explosion — The crater — Terrible fiasco — The double investigation — Different conclusions — The true cause of the want of success 608 CHAPTER XXX. SUMMER HARVESTS. General theory of the — The pick and the musket — Second expedition to Deep Bottom — Death of Colonel Chaplain — The trials of a regiment — The mark of death — Presentiments — Return to the trenches — Contest for the Weldon railroad — General Warren's success — Unfortunate affair of General Hancock at Ream's Station — Fort Hell — Origin of the name — Nocturnal coup de main — Muskets, cannons, and mortars — Southern deserters — Victories of Sheridan, Sherman, and Farragut 635 CHAPTER XXXI. OCTOBER VINTAGE. General Butler's success north of the James — Line advanced to the Peeble's house — Return to Fort Hell — Misfortunes of a Virginian family — General Birney's death — Arrival of recruits at the army — Dearth of officers — Political prejudices — Too free talk — Expedition to Hatcher's Run — Battle of October 27 — Line broken — How the break was repaired — Cavalry on foot — Night retreat — The wounded — General Hancock leaves the army 650 CHAPTER XXXII. THE BEGINNING OF THE END. Presidential campaign of 1864 — Cleveland convention — Baltimore convention — Platforms — Nomination of Mr. Lincoln — Chicago convention — Democratic profession of faith — The question of prisoners of war — Barbarities of the rebel government — Nomination of General McClellan — Desperate manoeuvres — Election — The army vote — Counter-stroke by the Confederates — Thanksgiving. . 671 CHAPTER XXXIII. THE LAST WINTER. General Humphreys — A raid to the south of Virginia — Cloth pontoons — How a railroad is destroyed — A winter's night — Exodus of negroes — Murder punished by fire — Military executions — Renewed operations on Hatcher's Run — Last extension of our lines — General Grant's chessboard — Sherman's march — Victories in Tennessee — Cavalry raids — Capture of Fort Fisher — Schofield in North Carolina — Sherman's arrival at Goldsborough — Sheridan at work — His return to the Army of the Potomac 687 CHAPTER XXXIV. THE GREAT STROKE. Capture and recapture of Fort Steadman — Desperate combats along the lines of rifle-pits — General MacAllister — The conscripts under fire — The One Hundred and Twenty-fourth New York and the Fifty-ninth Alabama — General Lee's plans — General Grant's instructions — Opinions in the army — First movements — The battle of White Oak road — The battle of Five Forks — Warren and Sheridan — A night of engagements — The last assaults — Meeting General Grant — Death of General A. P. Hill. — Venit sunma dies 705

5

CHAPTER XXXV. THE DENOUEMENT. Evacuation of . Petersburg and Richmond — The pursuit — Arrival at Jetersville — The Confederates at Amelia Court House — Engagements of the rearguard — Fight at Deatonsville — Captures and trophies — A great cast of the net — Death of General Read — Opinion of a Confederate sergeant — The baggage — Meeting General Sheridan — High Bridge — The last battle of the Second Corps — Communications between Grant and Lee — The coup de grace — The Confederate army lays down its arms — Final tableau .... 731 Chapter XXXVI — Conclusion 754

6